PHILIPSBURG–The Department of Statistics STAT of the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) has embarked on an Economic Census Survey (ECS).
The ECS is an internationally used exercise to collect and report on the number of business establishments according to their size, economic activity/industry, and location.
Through the survey STAT will also be able to identify and report on the number of micro-, small-, medium- and large-size entities operating in St. Maarten.
Interim Minister of Tourism and Economic Affairs Cornelius de Weever implores the business community to assist the Department of STAT by participating in the survey, because accurate and up-to-date data are needed for policy-planning purposes of the post-Hurricane Irma economy.
During a briefing on Wednesday, De Weever thanked the business community in advance for their cooperation, as well as the different entities involved in the survey.
Eleven interviewers hit the pavement on Thursday and will cover business operations in eight zones: Lowlands, Simpson Bay, Cole Bay, Little Bay, Cul de Sac, Philipsburg, Upper Prince’s Quarter and Lower Prince’s Quarter.
STAT Department Head Makini Persaud-Hickinson said during Wednesday’s briefing that ECS would give a full account of all economic units participating in the economy, and about the types of economic activity taking place in St. Maarten post-Irma.
Persaud-Hickinson added that STAT had conducted a pilot survey in February when 350 businesses were contacted, with 200 businesses interviewed. She said cooperation at that time had been “positive.”
She pointed out that it was critical to have benchmark statistics with respect to how many businesses are operational or closed, and/or how many new businesses have opened. “The survey also breaks down the size and industry of the current business community,” she said.
STAT Project Leader Jason Grant said the survey comprises 32 questions seeking basic information from businessowners such as name, address, legal form of the business, number of employees, post-hurricane status and insurance, and in case it concerns a hotel, the number of rooms and beds.
During the briefing Chamber of Commerce and Industry COCI Executive Director Anastacio Baker appealed to the business community to take part in the 30-minute survey, as the information collected would contribute to proper planning to move the country forward.
The information would also be very relevant for the COCI database and the Chamber prefers a joint approach rather than having individual entities going out and collecting information from its membership.
The ECS will be carried out over a 10-week period. This survey is a main data source for creating a comprehensive Statistical Business Register; calculating more accurately the gross domestic product (GDP); and for obtaining data on the number and distribution of economic establishments by industrial category, region and number of employees.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/76293-stat-dept-commences-economic-census-survey
View comments
Hide comments